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Feb. 15, 1938. J. E. ZOMNIR MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING BOOK MATCHES Filed Nov. 14, 1936 3 SheetsSheet l Joseph -.Z0mrulm Feb. 15,1938. J. E. ZOMNIR MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING BOOK MATCHES Filed NOV. 14, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -7 b-SCD DE Zovmrra Feb. 15, 1938. J. E. ZOMNIR MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING BOOK MATCHES s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 14, 1936 Patented F eb. 15, 1938 FFIQE MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING BOOK MATCHES Joseph E. Zomnir, Springfield, Mass., assignor to The Diamond Match Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 14, 1936, Serial No. 110,854

6 Claims.

This invention relates to means for assembling book matches of the type wherein match cards are encased in a flexible cover having a front flap which, when closed, is adapted to be tucked under the free edge of a short front fold at the bases of the match cards.

In the continuous match booking machine illustrated in Patent No. 1,042,472, dated October 29, 1912, when such machine is equipped with xpacking mechanism such as disclosed in Patent No. 1,217,991, dated March 6, 1917, the match books are discharged from an endless conveyer of the booking machine-into an intermittently rotatable radially-slotted flap-folding turret, passing therefrom to a flap-tucking head and thence to an oscillatory diametrically slotted book-reversing turret from which the completed books are successively delivered vertically in close relation and endwise reversed in alternation. ,Since the books occupy the same relative positions when they are discharged from the flapfolding turret such books when they are alternately reversed by and discharged from the reversing turret are arranged in a row with the smooth backs of each pair of books in contact and the fronts of the adjacent books of the respective pairs also in contact. Hence, when the books are severally slid endwise from the row,

(that is, longitudinally of the match stems) as in n the case where they are stacked in a vending machine, the short front fold of each book as it is being removed tends to and frequently does engage the opposing short fold of the next succeeding book of the row, thereby causing the two folds to interlock and prevent the removal of the book, or, instead, effect the removal of the two interlocked books.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient mechanism whereby book matches are assembled in a compact row with the books alternately reversed endwise as heretofore but with the smooth back of each book of the row in contact with the front fold of the adjacent book, thereby overcoming the objection mentioned.

To this end, my invention comprises novel features of construction and combinations of parts which in a preferred form will be hereinafter described, the scope of the invention then being ex- 30, pressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan of a match book assembling machine embodying the principle of my inven tion, the book supply hopper being in section Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the machine, as on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the book-ejecting plunger which reciprocates beneath the hopper.

Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section, as on the line 5-5 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the oscillatory book-positioning element and the adjacent end of the packing trough, showing a book positioned in the trough immediatel receding the side reversal of the book, and also showing the arrangement of the books in the trough.

Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal section of the hopper, the plunger, the oscillatory book-positioning element, and adjuncts, showing the parts in their relative positions preparatory to the dis-, charge of the book from said element into the adjacent trough.

Fig. 8 illustrates a group of books in their relative positions as delivered by the packing mechanism of a booking machine.

Referring to the drawings, ill designates a vertical hopper within which is contained a stack of match books B, which are alternately reversed endwise and are in the same back and front relation as they are delivered by the packing mechanism of the booking machine, that is to say, the smooth backs of each pair of adjacent books are in contact and also the fronts of the adjacent books of the respective pairs, as illustrated in U Fig. 8. The foot of the rearward wall of the hopper has an opening H therein for the free egress sidewise of each succeeding lowermost match book. The hopper, which is supported by a horizontal bed i2, is arranged to overlie the path of a horizontal plunger which, in its active stroke, is effective to eject the book from the hopper.

'Ihe plunger, in the form illustrated, comprises a slide I3 reciprocative in ways in the bed, a longitudinally extending bar I 4 fast on the slide, a plate I5 fastened on the rearward end of the bar I 4, and a blade l6 clamped between the bar and the plate and extending rearwardly from the latter, the co-operative relation of the parts being such that when the plunger is at the limit of its forward stroke, the lowermost book of the stack rests on and extends beyond the rearwardly pro jecting end of the blade l6 and in close relation to the acting end of the plate l5. Hence in the next succeeding rearward stroke of the plunger the book thus supported upon the plate is ejected sidewise from the hopper, and the remaining books of the stack are supported by the underlying plate until the plunger returns to its forward position. 'Ihereupon the lowermost book of the stack is deposited upon the projecting end of the blade preparatory to the next succeeding rearward stroke of the plunger, the book ejecting operation being continued so long as the books are supplied to the plunger.

In the present instance the plunger slide 13 is provided with a depending roll ll'which is operatively fitted in the race of a drum cam [13 fast on a driven shaft i9 which has its bearings in hangers 20 supported by the bed, the contour of the cam being such as to reciprocate the slide during each rotation of the shaft.

As each book is ejected flatwise from the hopper and while it is supported upon the projecting end of the blade IS, the book is set in an oscillatory positioning element comprising a pair of spaced gripper heads 2! fast on the inner ends of axial trunnions 22 which are mounted in suitably-disposed brackets 23 bolted to the adjacent end of the bed. The inner or acting face of each head 2! has formed therein two intersecting diametric grooves 24 at right angles to each other, which head is urged inward by a spring 25 suitably interposed between the head and the adjacent bracket. Preparatory to the discharge of a book from the hopper each head is positioned with one of its grooves in horizontal position, and therefore the book is seated horizontally in the opposing grooves of the two heads, as seen in Fig. 5, without changing the relative positions of the back and front of the book; that is, assuming the smooth back of the book is down when it is being ejected from the hopper, such back occupies the same position when it is placed between the gripper heads. This done, the plunger is retracted, (moved forward) and the book is gripped and supported by and between the resilient heads. Thereupon the heads are simultaneously turned counterclockwise through an arc of 90, thus swinging the book to a vertical position as seen in Fig. 7 and at the same time locating another pair of horizontally disposed grooves in the path of the next succeeding book to be ejected from the hopper by the plunger. This latter book as it emerges from the hopper impinges against the opposing vertically-disposed book which is supported by the yieldable gripper heads, thus forcing such opposing book from the heads and into a rearwardly extending discharge trough 26, which is sustained by a bracket 21 bolted to the bed, as seen in Fig. 5. Coincidentally the book which is borne by the plunger blade I6 is presented to and seated in the horizontal grooves of the gripper heads. Such heads are then turned 90 clockwise, thus shifting the engaged book to vertical position, whereupon the plunger is reciprocated as before. Consequently at the end of each oscillatory stroke of the gripper heads, a book is ejected from and another book is seated between such heads. The stacked books within the hopper being alternately reversed as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, it follows that when the books are turned clockwise and counterclockwise in alternation by the oscillating gripper heads and pushed therefrom in upstanding position into the trough, the books are arranged in a compact row with the smooth back of each book in close contact with the free edge front fold of the adjacent book, as seen in Fig. 6.

As a simple and efficient means to oscillate the gripper heads in timed relation to the reciprocation of the plunger, the trunnions 22 of the respective heads have fast thereon crank arms 28 which are pivotally connected by depending links 29 with a pair of upstanding arms 30 fast on a transverse shaft 3| having its bearings in brackets 32 bolted to the underside of the bed. One of the arms 30 constitutes a member of a bell-crank lever, whereof the other member 33 is pivotally connected by a horizontal link 34 to a slide bar 35 which extends laterally of and parallel with the drive shaft I9 and is mounted in one of the hangers 2D and in a depending bracket 36 supported by the bed. On the inner side of the bar 35 is a roll 31 which is operatively fitted in the race of a drum cam 38 loose on the drive shaft. This cam carries a gear 39 which meshes with a gear 40 fast on a short shaft 4| having its bearings in the bracket 36, which shaft is mounted in spaced parallel relation to the drive shaft. Also fast on the shaft 4| is a gear 42 in mesh with a gear 43 fast on the drive shaft. The gears 42 and 43 are the same size, and the ratio of the gears 46 and 39 is two to one. Hence the cam 38 is driven at one-half the speed of the cam I8.

The contours of the races of the cams l8 and 38 are such that during each rotation of the cam 18 the book-ejecting plunger makes two reciprocations (four strokes) with a pronounced dwell at the end of each stroke, thus effecting the ejection of two books in succession from the hopper, and that during each rotation of the cam 38 the slidebar 35 makes one reciprocation (two strokes) thus oscillating the gripper heads to position the intersecting grooves of such heads alternately in the path of the books ejected from the hopper, the intervals of rest of the book-ejecting plunger being in timed relation to the oscillations of the gripper heads. In other words, one stroke of the bar 35 operates the gripper heads, and one reciprocation of the book-ejecting plunger follows each oscillation of the grippers.

In order to ensure the uniform discharge from the gripper heads of each vertically-disposed book supported thereby, a rocker member is arranged to oscillate through the midportion of the upper space between the heads in timed relation to the reciprocation of the plunger and the oscillations of the heads. This member comprises a depending arm 44 having at its lower end a rearwardly extending toe 45, the upper end of the arm being fast on a transverse rock-shaft 46 which is journaled in brackets 4'! extending from the hopper. Fast on one end of the shaft 45 is a depending arm 48 which is pivotally connected by means of a link 46 with a similar arm 55] fast on a rock shaft whichhas its bearing in a bracket 52 rising from the bed forwardly of the hopper. An expansion spring 53, which is secured at its ends to the link 49 and the bracket 52 respectively, tends to retract the link and thereby maintain the rocker member 44 normally with its toe positioned forwardly and clear of the path of oscillation of a match book borne by the gripper heads, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Fast on the shaft 5| is the upper end of an arm 54 which depends in angular relation to the adjacent arm 50, the lower end of the former arm having an anti-friction roll 55 which depends in the path of a suitably-disposed upstanding abutment 56 on the plunger bar 44. The co-operative relation of the parts just described is such that when the plunger is in its forward or retracted position the arm 54 is forwardly inclined and the roll 55 thereon is spaced rearwardly from the abutment 55, the rocker arm 44 and its connections thus occupying their normal or retracted positions as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. In the next succeeding rearward stroke of the plunger, immediately following the vertical disposition of a book by the heads 2|, the abutment 56 impinges against the roll 55 and forces the latter rearward against the action of the spring 53 until the rocker arm 44 and its connections assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5. In the rearward movement of the rocker arm 44 its toe 45 impinges against the opposing vertically disposed book between the gripper heads concurrently with the action on the latter of the lowermost book being ejected from the hopper by the plunger, thus steadying the vertically-disposed book and contributing to its orderly delivery to the trough.

The bottom and top of the trough at its receiving end are provided with complementary resilient latches 5'! which are arranged and adapted to yield to the pressure thereagainst of the midportions of the upper and lower sides respectively of each book as it passes into the trough, thus engaging the book and preventing its forward displacement when the book is entered in the trough. In the present instance each latch comprises a bar which extends longitudinally of the trough and is pivoted rearwardly on a suitablydisposed pintle 58 on the trough, the forward or free end of the bar being formed with a beveled latch head 59 at the receiving end of the trough. The lower and upper latches are maintained normally in latching position by suitably-disposed springs 60 and GI, respectively, the spring 60 being a coiled spring which is seated in a socket 62 in the trough supporting bracket 21, and the spring 6i being a leaf spring mounted on the forward top portion 63 of the trough.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exemplifying construction herein disclosed, as the same may be modified within the fair spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising means for supporting a stack of books with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the fronts of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), means for feeding the books in succession, means including an oscillatory book receiving and supporting element into which each succeeding book is radially delivered sidewise in thesame path bythe feeder, and means for oscillating said element to swing the books clockwise and counterclockwise in alternate succession through a determined path before their successive discharge from the said element, whereby the endwise reversed books are also sidewise reversed with the smooth back of each book in opposed relation to the front of the adjacent book.

2. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising means for supporting a stack of books with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the fronts of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), means for feeding the books in succession means including an oscillatory book receiving and supporting element comprising a pair of spaced gripper heads between which each succeeding book is delivered in a radial path by the feeder, and means for oscillating said heads to swing each book therebetween through a determined path, the books being swung clockwise and counterclockwise in alternate succession, thereby positioning between the gripper heads each book in and at right angles to the path of the next succeeding book passing between the said heads, whereby each succeeding book is sidewise reversed. and ejected from the gripper heads with the smooth back of each book in opposed relation to the front of the adjacent book.

3. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising means for supporting a stack of books with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the fronts of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), means for feeding the booksin succession, means including an oscillatory book receiving and supporting element comprising a pair of normally-closed resiliently supported gripper heads having in their inner or opposing faces intersecting diametric grooves into and between which each succeeding book is delivered in a radial path by the feeder, and means for oscillating said heads to swing each book therebetween through a determined path, the books being swung clockwise and counterclockwise in alternate succession, thereby positioning between the gripper heads each book in and at right angles to the path of the next succeeding book passing between the said heads, whereby each succeeding book is sidewise reversed and ejected from the gripper heads with the smooth back of each book in opposed relation to the front of the adjacent book.

4. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising means for supporting a stack of books with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the fronts of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), means for feeding the books in succession, means including an oscillatory book receiving and supporting element com-- prising a pair of normally-closed resiliently supported gripper heads having in their inner or opposing faces intersecting diametric grooves into and between which each succeeding book is deliv-' ered in a radial path by the feeder, and means for oscillating said heads to swing each book therebetween through a determined path, the books being swung clockwise and counterclockwise in alternate succession, thereby positioning between the gripper heads each book in and at right angles to the path of the next succeeding book passing between the said heads, whereby each succeeding book is sidewise reversed and ejected from the gripper heads, and a trough structure which receives and supports the books with the smooth back of each book in opposed relation to the front of the adjacent book.

5. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising means for supporting a stack of books with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the fronts of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), said means including a plunger and an actuating cam therefor, means for feeding the books in succession, an intermittently oscillating book receiving and supporting element to which each succeeding book is radially delivered sidewise in the same path by the feeder, means for oscillating said element to swing the 6. Means for assembling book matches each having a cover which presents a smooth back and a free edge front fold, comprising a hopper in which the books are stacked with the head ends of alternate books reversed and the front of the books of each alternate pair facing the same way (upward or downward), a plunger for ejecting each succeeding lowermost book from the hopper and supporting the book when ejected, means including a drive shaft'and a cam thereon for actuating said plunger, an oscillatory book receiving and supporting element to which each succeeding book is radially delivered sidewise in the same path by the plunger, and means for oscillating said element to swing the books clockwise and counterclockwise in alternate succession through a path of 90 before their successive discharge from said element, said oscillating means including a cam loose on said shaft, connections between said latter cam and the oscillating receivingand supporting element, and timed gearing between said shaft and said latter cam.

JOSEPH E. ZOMN'IR. 

